In the first week of testimony in Donald Trump’s hush money trial, prosecutors are working on filling in the details of how they say he pulled off a scheme to bury damaging stories to protect his 2016 presidential campaign. Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen, who arranged hush money payments on Trump’s behalf, is expected to provide crucial testimony. Trump, who denies any wrongdoing, is facing threats of jail time for violating a gag order barring him from making public statements about the case. Judge Juan Merchan raised the possibility of incarceratory punishment if Trump continues to violate the order.
Prosecutors are using detailed testimony on email exchanges, business transactions, and bank accounts to build their argument that Trump is guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with the hush money payments. Jurors have heard from a banker who helped Cohen open accounts used to buy the silence of Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal. Trump denies the claims made by both women and Cohen reportedly did not inform the banker that the accounts were related to deals involving Trump. The defense is emphasizing this lack of information to challenge the prosecution’s case.
During the trial, Trump is being confronted with images and testimony related to the hush money stories he tried to bury. The judge ruled against showing the “Access Hollywood” tape in which Trump made inappropriate comments about women, but prosecutors are using C-SPAN clips of Trump denying allegations made by women. Keith Davidson, a lawyer who represented McDougal and Daniels in negotiations with Cohen and the National Enquirer, provided insight into the negotiations behind the deals to keep the women quiet. The National Enquirer bought McDougal’s story to prevent her from going public about her claims.
The trial is expected to last another month or more, with jurors hearing testimony four days a week. Trump, who has labeled the prosecution as an attempt to sabotage his 2024 campaign, is required to be present at the trial. The judge made accommodations for Trump’s scheduling conflicts, including pausing the trial for his son Barron’s high school graduation. Despite Trump’s complaints about missing time on the campaign trail, the trial will resume after a four-day break for the Memorial Day weekend. The ongoing proceedings are set to reveal more details about the hush money scheme and its implications for Trump’s presidency.
